What if the German Empire Survived?

Before the outbreak of World War I, Germany was under the rule of the German Empire, governed under the near absolute reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II. And, though the Empire had managed to bring Germany into the forefront of not only Europe, but the world, by the end of World War I, the German people had overthrown it, instead replacing it with the Weimar Republic, whose weak governance would lead to its own demise. But, what if that changed? What if, in an alternate timeline, the German Empire survived? Enjoy!

MUSIC:

Video Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:30 Background
6:41 Scenario

[msmith]

What if the German, Russian and Habsburg Empires all survived WWI? Great video.

[georgeadamsii]

A couple of points:

1) Wilson didn't just want to get rid of the Kaiser but monarchy itself. He wasn't willing to negotiate with any form of Germany (or Austria, or Hungary) that still had a monarch.

2) The other German Kings, Grand Dukes, Dukes and Sovereign Princes didn't owe fealty to the German Emperor. If that had been a condition of German Unification then it wouldn't have happened. The office of President of the North German Confederation was linked to the King of Prussia, so when the southern German states basically joined the NGC it was decided to rename the NGC to the German Empire and rename the NGC President to German Emperor (not Empire of Germany or Emperor of Germany). There's a lot of great political wrangling by Bismarck and Crown Prince Friedrich to even pull off this name as King Wilhelm hated it and wanted nothing to do with it. Like the NGC President before it, the German Emperor was a first among equals situation.

3) Assuming Wilson can be brought down a notch from his "All Monarchies Must Die" stance (and he wasn't excluding Great Britain from that either), I doubt the Allies would have accepted Prince Eitel Friedrich as Regent. He fought in the war and he didn't have the best reputation. Max of Baden's plan was to have either Empress Victoria Augusta (who would naturally refuse and gone into Exile with her husband) or Crown Princess Cecilie serve as Regent for her underage son Prince Wilhelm.

4) Technically, the German Empire was more democratic than Great Britain, as a higher percentage of the population had the right to vote. The issue was the three tiered voting system in the largest state of Prussia (2/3rds of the German Empire's land area). The individual German states retained day-to-day control of their Armies (which only came under the Emperor's direct control in times of war) and other such powers. Only the German Navy was a Federal level armed force in peace time, which is why it had to go on a PR campaign for it's expansion (see: German Navy League).

[ogztbiz]

Hey Josh. I had a crappy day and this makes it a little easier. Keep doing what your doing man.

[danielsantiagourtado]

Very happy to see you again josh! Suggestion: What if Queen anne' s son william survived? No union with hanover.

[ryamsosohbajjaikoasknd]

What if the Spring Offensive succeeded and Germany was able to, in the closing months, make a more favourable treaty to end the war?

[nl]

Woodrow Wilson was one of the most evil men in history.

[ekralj]

Finally my favorite what if came back.Idea what if France helped rebels in Habsurg monarchy in 1664.

[mohamedamaan]

Great video
Can you make one where the kingdom of prussia survives as a monarchy after ww1

[TheAmericanCrusader]

Suggestion: What if France stayed neutral in the American Revolutionary War?

[finn-fvju]

thanks for this ive been waiting so long for this video

[ovince]

I still don't understand This hatred for Wilhelm II, I thought Lavader had already made It clear in his nearly 2 hour long essay that Wilhelm was innocent during his entire reign. It's heartbreaking 😞







In case that you are curious the video in question is "The Peace Kaiser: The Innocence of Kaiser Wilhelm II"

[SunilDachmann-mgmm]

I like your historical analysis of things that happened before the scenario

[lordprimus]

The German Empire was a federal absolute/constitutional monarchy, it had a parliamentary system called the Reichstag.
If the German Empire survived, I don't believe that the Allies would have left it alone if the Great War still had happened.
I would instead argue that if Germany not entered on the side of the Austrians, the Empire would have survived.

Also I read in the comments section referring to the German Empire as the Second Reich, that is not true. the Nazis made that up to legitimise their power over Germany and to claim territory in Europe.

[savageace]

What if Bavaria won against Austria in the Spanish war of Secession

[texastacoss]

What useful content you provide, Josh Sullivan. We truly did need the 205th German Empire alternate history scenario

[oooshafiqooo]

3:40 wait isnt Germany already a Constitutional Monarchy before the war? (It was semi constitutional monarchy anyway soo 🤔😄😅)

[darthrevan]

Why not just taking a step back and make Wilhelm II listen to Bismarck. And the German Empire never leaves a triparty alliance with Either Uk or Russia.
That would keep the Empire intact and the emperor in position, maybe keeping the German Empire's Superpower state.

[brothers_of_nod]

The Kaiser should have kept his throne.

[chmidt]

German monarchy never was absolute tho, it was always constitutional and federal, with Wilhelm II giving the parliament full reign before ww1, not even doing something against the SPD, which Wilhelm didn't like. Russia was an absolute monarchy.

[youthoughtaboutit]

You know, I’ve always wondered what the function of the sub-monarchies within the German empire was, but could never seem to find a satisfactory explaination, at least not in English.